Industry veteran Chris Staros will teach at SCAD Atlanta

March 27, 2012

"Yes, it's true! I'm a Professor now. -- Well...part time. ... Along with running Top Shelf, I started teaching a (single) class on Getting Published/Self-Publishing at the Savannah College of Art and Design's Atlanta Campus. And I'm really enjoying it." -- Chris Staros

The SCAD Press Release follows...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 27, 2012

Industry veteran Chris Staros will teach at SCAD Atlanta

ATLANTA— Chris Staros, president and publisher of Top Shelf Productions, will be joining the sequential department at SCAD Atlanta as an adjunct professor for the Spring 2012 quarter. Since 1997, Staros has edited and published over 250 critically-acclaimed and award-winning graphic novels that have helped to revitalize interest in comics as a literary art form.

“Chris has been a long time friend of the university, sharing his insights with our students over the years and we’re extremely fortunate to have him teaching for us,” says Pat Quinn, associate dean of the SCAD communication arts. “Our sequential art students have yet another opportunity to learn from a well known industry professional that brings knowledge and experience into the classroom.”

Staros’ work has garnered accolades from Time, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times Book Review. More notably, his company edited and published Alan Moore’s “ From Hell” and Robert Venditti’s “ Surrogates , ” which have been made into major motion pictures.

“I’ve had the privilege of guest lecturing at SCAD since the late 90s,” says Chris Staros, “watching the sequential art department grow from a small new department to the powerhouse it is today. My relationship with the faculty and students has always been special to me, and I’m really excited to spend some quality time with the future stars of our industry.”

This spring Staros will be teaching an elective course called "Getting Published and Self-Publishing" enlightening students on all the behind-the-scenes work in comics and prepping students for managing their careers.

Under Staros’ editorial eye, Top Shelf has received several industry awards including the 2009 American Library Association Alex Award for Best Teen Graphic Novel, “ Essex County;” 2009 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel, “ Swallow Me Whole;” and 2009 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel “ Too Cool To Be Forgotten.” He is also the former president of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), the non-profit organization founded in 1986 whose charter is to protect the First Amendment rights of the comic community.

SCAD offers more sequential art classes than any other university, with degree programs at both Savannah and Atlanta locations as well as through SCAD eLearning. The SCAD sequential art program also provides students with a global perspective through one of the largest, most diverse faculties in the nation.

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The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor’s and master’s degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors. Visit scad.edu .